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Major development slated for Sophia – CH&PA
Chief Executive Officer, Central Housing and Planning Authority, Lelon Saul
This year is expected to see major infrastructural development in Sophia. This is according to the Chief Executive Officer of Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Lelon Saul at a recent Conference.
According to him, Sophia will be among the communities that will undergo a series of infrastructural development.
He stated, “During 2018, we will be doing some infrastructure development work at Peter’s Hall, (East Bank Demerara) and in Cummings Lodge area”.
Saul pointed out that these works are being made possible by a “reformulated loan” which was recently granted. As such he said, “The housing sector will benefit from approximately US$30 million. We will be doing some work in CH&PA Schemes that is Sophia…”
Some of the works that are slated for this area include upgrade to roads and drains and the construction of public spaces to promote recreation. In addition, Saul noted that “selected persons” will also benefit from “core houses” and home improvement subsidies.
He pledged, “We will continue in terms of our planning function; (we) will engage with our partners. Recently we would have established some inter-agency coordinating committee on planning and development.”
He noted that this is to further strengthen the functions of the organisation, which he acknowledged indeed has some challenges.
CH&PA had late last year conducted a massive demolition campaign which rendered several families homeless.
During this campaign, the organisation removed 21 illegal structures in ‘A’ Field Sophia. The occupiers were served notices a mere week in advance.
Kaieteur News was told that the decision taken was not only over the fact that the lands squatted on are government reserves, but due to the alarming rate of violence and crime in the community.
Leader of the Selective Group of Sophia, Brian Sobers, said the myth about Sophia being a breeding ground for criminals happens to be only one of the few things that the CH&PA intends to change with the demolition of the illegal homes.
Following the demolition exercise, Minister within the Ministry of Communities Valerie Patterson-Yearwood announced that Sophia squatters will have until January 2018 to make the necessary arrangements to be relocated from the area.
Patterson noted that as a result of the demolition exercise in Sections ‘A’ and ‘B’ Pattensen (Sophia) on October 12, a number of persons have been engaging CH&PA requesting extra time to move.
She said that the government has since granted the extension, but this was after over 200 notices were given to squatters of Sophia. Minister Patterson-Yearwood believes that the January deadline is sufficient time for them to relocate, since many of squatters already have house lots.
On that note, Saul made the declaration last Friday that without proper provisions in place, no squatters will be removed.
He said that the organisation is yet to develop a location for the squatter, however Cummings Lodge is a location that is being ‘eyed’.
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